Legislature

Legislature is a word that comes from the Latin language, meaning "those who write the laws." The legislature of a state or country is a group of people, each of whom got his or her office either by winning an election or by being appointed, to vote for new laws. The constitution of that state or country usually tells how a legislature is supposed to work.

In many countries, the legislature is called a Parliament, Congress, or National Assembly. Sometimes the legislature is two separate groups of members. This is called a "bicameral" legislature. A unicameral legislature has only one group of members.

A county, district, city, or other small area also has a council, that makes the rules and laws for its level of government. The local charter often tells how a council should work.